It's All in the Cards
by Selena Style
Summary: One decision can change destiny. What if one destiny was never real? What if it was only real until the right one came along? How would that effect you knowing that your life was meant to change? Bottom Line: Tai chose the Agumon card.
1. Prologue

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Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any other characters except the one(s) I have created. If I did then . . . Well, that would be cool or prodigious or heck, if I feel like it, perfecto. 

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Author's Note: To mention my inspiration 'cause well - that's how the story came around. It was actually something I noticed Oikawa had on his laptop. Lets see how many of you clever and observant ones pick it up. 

I published the prologue once, but then I wanted to do some editing and changing plot points etc. This is now an epic that deals with the basic digimon season timeline now changed by one instance - the Agumon card. How badly will one thing change a whole adventure? Will the future be the same? This centers around the 01 gang as they deal with new emotions and circumstances. Can they forgive Tai? Everything that is known about the three Digimon universes will intertwine, even some from 04 (but not for a while).

The idea is to go further with the classic season. To explore the elements that weren't totally addressed and should've. Most of them emotional, such as Matt's whole introverted thing, and romantic, would anybody ever try something romantic? As well as on the grand scheme of the adventure as in why them? This is my big summer fic. 

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Bottom Line: Alternate universe, entirely after a famous scene starting from the 01 episode "Its All in the Cards" - Myotismon arc. So, there will be romance, comedy, and other epic type stuff. There is a brief 02 cross-over. This is action/adventure and minor swearing. 

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They stood before the gate that loomed before them. The gate that was supposed to lead them home. To him. To the vampire. To the eighth child. It all seemed so simple - plug in the cards and the gate would open. A key in a door, so trivial. But nothing was ever simple here, the Digital World that is. Every living thing was another puzzle box waiting to be deciphered. And that's what this is. A puzzle.

Except . . .

When putting a puzzle together, if a piece is wrong you try and try again until you get it right. But with this puzzle . . .

It's either all or nothing.

And nothing took you to another world. 

They were scared, these Chosen children. They had to grow up in so very many ways. Dealing with each other, their power, and the saving the world bit. This is what they had been destined for and they accepted it as best they could. 

And they did it incredibly well. 

While in the past, they had enough time to figure out a logical plan before bounding after the target. Now, there was no time as everything was falling apart.

Literally.

The walls shook hard as more and more of Myotismon's castle came apart. Apparently the vampire digimon anticipated the Chosen's moves all too well from the way the castle was deleting rapidly. There was another problem too, a big huge, venomous, spider-like problem. 

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"Poison Thread!" Dokugumon's attack shot out towards the Chosen and their digimon. The deadly strands of web attaching themselves to the wall. A step closer and the acid of the thread could give someone a painful burn. The Digi-Destined jumped away avoiding the attack as best they could.

"I told you, you wouldn't be getting out alive!" hissed the viral insect digimon.

"Like we haven't heard that a million times," muttered Joe. 

"A million too many if you ask me," cried Mimi as she hopped out of the way as another threatening thread came her way.

"We need to get that gate open!" shouted Matt. "Now!" 

"Digivolve!" rang out Sora, when she suddenly seized up as another attack came her way.

"Not this time!" 

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Yokomon digivolve to Biyomon!

A pillar of light surrounded the small pink creature with petals as she evolved to a larger, but still pink, bird like form.

"**Spiral Twister!**" The attack cut the web away from her partner. 

"Nice aim," smiled Sora. Her attention then turned elsewhere. Towards the corner of the castle where two boys bent over a large-stone table of some sort. 

"Do something!" shrieked Mimi as Palmon digivolved. 

They wanted to do something, the pair in the corner. But that something could result in something else. Something much worse than they could ever imagine. They remembered what their mentor said, Gennai, the cards must be in the correct order . . . or else they would be sent to another dimension. 

Funny it seemed. That they would be scared of crossing into another world. Wasn't that what they did originally? They went from the real world to a digital one. But now the Digital World seemed so much like home despite the large number of trials they faced. The fear didn't come from the crossing over. The fear was rising from the place in their hearts that would tell them that they failed. That somewhere, the eighth child would be and they wouldn't. 

And Myotismon would have won. 

Two worlds lost. 

That could never happen. 

So here he was, staring down a puzzle as if it was the Reaper himself. Funny, he always liked puzzles. Simple and organized. A piece for every slot. But with this puzzle, the rules had changed. There was one thing different. 

__

Nine slots . . . Ten cards . . . 

A dummy card. 

The sweat trickled down his forehead. His hands sat shaking ever so slightly above the keys of his laptop. His black eyes quivering. The order was correct, it all made perfect sense. There was no way he was wrong. 

Except . . .

"I'm s-sorry Tai," whispered Izzy. "That's all I can do." He raised his gloved hand and wiped the sweat away. He looked towards his leader, their leader. The chocolate-colored hair boy's eyes never moved. They remained deeply locked on the cards. 

Tai raised his hand and gently set it on the shoulder of his good friend and trustworthy advisor. 

"Good job Izz, good job." The younger boy exhaled slightly. 

"It's up to you Tai."

"I know . . . " The hand resting on the Bearer of Courage began to tremble slightly, but it remained unknown to the red-head. 

__

The Agumon card or the Gomamon.

"**Needle Spray!"**

"Harpoon Torpedo!" 

"Howling Blaster!" 

The three champions' attack rang out in a harmonic chord of power, but were stopped as more thread sped towards their way. The deadly web wrapped tightly around them as the poison began to do its work. 

"Garurumon!" shouted Matt as his crest glowed brightly blue. 

****

Garurumon digivolve to Were Garurumon! 

The crest had done its job as the champion evolved to his ultimate form of an upright werewolf-like creature decked in jeans and chains. 

"Its time we danced," growled the ultimate as he lunged towards his prey.

"Pick one!" urged Joe. A huge crash then sounded from the corridor.

"We're caved in!" called Patamon flying back down to TK's arms. 

"It's now or never Tai," gritted Matt. 

Tai knew very well what was happening. The choice was simple - one or the other. It was decision between two answers with no way to pick the right one. There was no turning back now. 

His hands gripped the sides of the stone table. His head bent in thought. It was all up to him. They trusted him that much. Even Matt. Everyone. 

__

It's all up to you. 

"Whatever happens . . ." murmured Izzy quietly. He couldn't bear to witness this brutal decision. Some choices were best left unknown. 

__

It's all up to me. 

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"Poison Thread!" More threads, more danger. 

"Hurry up!" cried Joe. 

"You can do it Tai!" called out Sora. 

"**Boom Bubble!" **

"Please!" whimpered TK. 

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I have to decide - think from the gut. A leader needs Courage. I can't be reckless. I can't just jump into this. 

I can do this.

Another explosion as the side wall began to delete as well. 

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I can do this. 

Tai shut his eyes. The tremor in his body becoming visible, yet no one saw. They were too wrapped up in their own fears, but they needed to believe in him - Tai. He could do anything. That line of faith was strong He was their leader.

Tai snapped. His hand shot out towards the two cards as he snatched the one - the one that would hopefully bring them home. Tai shoved it into the slot and it clicked. The table lit up in a white light accepting the nine cards, in whatever order that may be. The slots were filled, which was all that was needed. The same light glowed from the large stone gate and gave it a mystical glow. 

The gate opened. 

"Let's go!" screamed Tai. His commanding voice echoed above the chaos. The other Chosen didn't need to be told twice.

"You're not going anywhere!" shrieked Dokugumon getting another attack ready. 

"Don't think so," shot back Were Garurumon as he body slammed the viral creature. 

"We'll handle it!" called out Matt turning towards the battle his partner was in.

"Matt!" TK frantically cried desperately turning towards his older brother with a hand outreached. Sora grabbed the small hands and pulled the blonde boy towards the opened gate.

"He'll be fine, don't worry," reassured Sora without looking back. Her eyes locked on the target as she broke into a sprint with Biyomon swooping in along her side with Patamon as well. 

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," whimpered Mimi fearfully. Tears stung her eyes as she bounded towards the gate with a de-digivolved Palmon in her arms. The vision of a skin-swapping world was strong in her mind. 

"Come on!" urged Joe looking back towards the younger girl. The weight of his partner did little to slow him down. 

The knot in Tai's stomach tightened as he saw his friends closing in on the gate. They could make it, they actually might make it. 

"You first," commanded Tai as he literally grabbed Izzy by the wrist and flung him through the glowing door. The Bearer of Knowledge had little time to shout in surprise before he passed through.

"Izzy!" gasped Tentomon, but quickly followed suit. The others reached the Bearer of Courage. 

"Get going!" ordered Tai once again. His eyes noted Mimi's tear stained face, but said nothing. 

"It'll work out all right Mimi," Sora comforted, but her eyes were starting to verge on tearing. Mimi nodded with a sob caught in her throat. 

"We'll go together," spoke up Joe as he grabbed the younger girl's hand. He gave her a small smile as they passed through. 

"Any day now!" rang out Matt. His body remained tense and the dirt as well as blood on his face were highlighted by the crest. 

"See you," whispered Sora as she too with TK plunged in the white light. 

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" came another call from the Bearer of Friendship. Tai smirked slightly as he turned to the gate and ran through. 

__

I hope this works. 

There was now only a small sliver of light being omitted from the rapidly closing doorway. Matt realized that the time to move was now. 

"Finish it up!" he called to his partner. The ultimate responded gladly. 

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"Garuru Kick!" The blade of energy soared towards Dokugumon and tore into her body. She screamed in rage as her body was deleted. 

The de-digivolved Tsunomon fell into Matt's arms as he was carried towards the gate.

"That was cutting it close," commented Matt. The blonde boy kept running, never slowing down. He couldn't, he had to make it. 

The Bearer of Friendship oddly felt little fear. Perhaps the shock of it hadn't hit him or his faith in Tai was incredibly strong, despite what the others believed. Tai had proved himself - that was that. Now, the task lay before them. Matt felt the others could do it, but his own self-reliance was another story. There was no time for doubt. There was only one thought that mattered.

Run.

Run fast.

Run fast now. 

The limber of body of the Chosen dove through the closing doors in one last moment. The light flowed around his body and his mind fell into unconsciousness. 

The doors of the gate closed soundly. The castle continued to fall apart into deletion. Data was swirling into the sky as the gate ceased glowing its white, and seemingly pure light. 

As the gate began to break down, so did the podium where the cards lay in their slots. One by one the cards went into deletion as well.

Except . . . 

The dummy card. It burst into a tiny flame and shriveled into nothingness. The Bearer of Courage had unfortunately selected the fake.

The Agumon Card. 

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*****

Their bodies felt numb from the fall. Slowly, they moved their joints. They are alive. A good enough of a sign. But where exactly? Pairs of eyes fluttered open. 

"Oh god . . . " 

There was nothing to be said. The tears told plenty. 

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*****

Author's Note: I love writing action/adventure. There's so many levels for the genre to go. Dark, happy, heroic, etc. I'm probably swayed by watching Indiana Jones so many times as bitty kid. Harrison Ford . . . Homer like drool

Demi-V: Ew. 

The emotions and actions the Digi-Destined are going through are a bit more amateurish than what they are like at the end of 01. Think about it. Most of them just got their crests to glow, Tai finally came back, and they just encountered Myotismon who is one of the most evil, and I mean EVIL, villains they had to face. Their emotions are going to be running high. Also, a lot of their turning point events have yet to occur as it comes around during the Myotismon arc as well as during the run of the Dark Masters. Things are different. They haven't totally adapted yet. 

For the record, crossing over can occur in time lines. It's called Schrodinger's Cat dearies. Read up Quantum Physics or watch Back to the Future. Whichever.

Chapter two is right around the bend! 


	2. Please Don't Be Real

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Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of the other character except the one(s) I have created. If I did then . . . well, that would be cool or prodigious or heck, if I feel like it, perfecto.

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Author's Note: So, now we FINALLY get into the main point of the story and the crossing-over bit. This was originally a part of Chapter 1, but I got lazy and then it got deleted. Now we deal with where they landed and the emotions behind that. As well as some extra stuff that comes around. I think I was pretty blatant with everything so I'm sure you'll figure out what couples this will center around as well as the multiple elements I've throne in. There is no _lead _in the story. It's an ensemble cast so there are plenty of focuses and chances to shine for everyone. So if you have a favorite, chances are they will be dealt with. 

This is over 30 pages long when I typed it. I suggest you go get something to eat before you read it. Go! Its not going anywhere - go! I think you should get something chocolate or if you're on a diet like myself, bitterly grab a carrot stick. Actually, I won't know that you didn't follow your diet so go get that chocolate. You can stop reading, I'm rambling . . still rambling . . 

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Bottom Line: They are emotional and shouldn't be exactly pros yet since the majority of their angst hasn't occurred (I.e. Myotismon and Dark Masters arc) 

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*****

The ground. He felt the ground. Feeling meant life didn't it? If he could feel then he was alive and therefore he made it through the gate. Deductive reasoning at its best. With that out of the way it was best to try to move, because if he could move then he could do something and by doing something it would save the world . . 

Ok, so deductive reasoning could have its flaws, but hey - he was no Izzy . . 

Mustering up energy, he willed himself to open his eyes and force his body to sit up. Instantly, pain shot up in his shoulder warning him that if he decided to move the shoulder again, he would regret it. But for now, he could move, breath, and feel as well as see his friends . . 

"Hey did we mak-" the sentence caught in his throat as he instantly saw the condition his friends were in.

Two words: Not. Good. 

The Chosen were collapsed on the ground as if they couldn't bear to old themselves up against the despair that plagued. No not despair . . the _failure_ that they now faced. 

"I'm glad you're awake Matt," came the voice of Tsunomon. The in-training digimon's voice was laced with pain, but there was an edge of relief towards his now conscious partner. "Although, I'm not sure you'd want to be . ." It was disturbing to hear the bitterness from a partner usually so encouraging. 

"Tsunomon," stammered Matt holding his injured shoulder. "What's going on?" He looked at his friends - drained of any glimmer they once had - desperately seeking answers. Matt could say, without question, he had never seen any of them looking so darkly. 

Izzy say dumbly on the ground, his black eyes with no life. Just staring. Even more frightening was that his laptop was cast aside, not even open, as if the Bearer of Knowledge had banished it from his existence. Joe, on the other hand, had more visible life in him. Possibly because of shock that for once his pessimistic attitude had unfortunately proved to be right. But it truly wasn't what the oldest Chosen wanted, of course. His hand just kept stroking the head of his ever optimistic partner Gomamon. 

"Shh Mimi," whispered Sora. Her calm voice was picked up by Matt through the echoing silence. "Please stop crying . . ." But even her comforting words couldn't stop the waves of sobs from the Bearer of Sincerity. The two girls just held on to each other for support in their dire situation. 

TK quivered in a small ball while holding on to Patamon. Being young, he couldn't quite grasp how severe things had turned. Yet, he was still able to comprehend that something was indeed _wrong_. 

Matt's breathing became hard. His hand clasped his chest. "Someone . . please tell me . . . what's going on?" 

"Look up." The blonde's head whirled in the direction of the voice.

"Tai?" The Bearer of Courage stood like stone. His body turned away from the group.

"Look up, Matt." Tai's voice chilled him, yet he complied with the instructions. Matt's pupils dilated as he finally saw and now _felt _why his friends were so upset. 

Upset being the understatement of a lifetime. 

The sky was a constant swirl of several colors, never taking shape nor laying still. There was no structure or seemingly any life on the plane. Just existence. It was like a Picasso painting or Salvador Deli's melting clocks - this was the world the Digi Destined had entered. So surreal. It had random objects entering and exiting the world. There was an infinite number of guesses of where the Chosen truly were. 

"Oh god . . " breathed Matt drawing his knees into his chest. 

"It's like a dream world," began Joe, "or make that a nightmare."

"I - I want to go home!" bawled Mimi in between sobs. 

"We all do Mimi," tried Sora again, "But . . " She stopped, not being able to bring herself to giving a shallow explanation. 

"It's all my fault," muttered Izzy. "It's all my fault." 

"Izzy?" questioned Tentomon. 

"Yes - it is!" The normally passive red head's voice grew loud and unstable. "The program - there had to have been a flaw! I brought us here! I-I'm the one to b-blame . . ." Mimi's sobs echoed loudly behind his emotional confession. The Digi Destined huddled closely in their sorrow. 

Except for Tai. He stood still and faced away from his friends. He had hardly spoken at all. But the minute Izzy finished his guilt trip, the Bearer of Courage's body began to tremble at an alarming rate until finally - the boy who knew no fear - collapsed to his knees crying. 

"NO!" bellowed Tai. "It was perfect! Perfect! I took the chance and I FAILED!" 

"Tai," whimpered Sora. "What are you -" He turned his body sharply to face them. Tears cascading down his face.

"I chose the wrong card! It was my call - my DAMN CALL! And I blew it! I can't believe I let you guys down . . I just wanted to stop him . . . "

They didn't know how to respond to Tai. What could they say? They were trapped in another world with out any means of returning to their home or perhaps the digital world. They had encountered the ultimate block of their destiny. What would happen now? 

Matt stood up. He couldn't believe this was Tai crying. The Bearer of Courage had been through so much with them. Wasn't this the guy they chose as their leader? This was the boy who was to save two worlds. Matt looked towards the others seeing in their eyes the fear building up witnessing the condition their hero was in. The Bearer of Friendship knew what he had to do

"Get up Tai." His voice was stern and commanding. "Get up." Tai didn't move. He turned further away, wishing to distance himself from Matt. "Get up!" The blonde ran over and grabbed Tai by the collar of his shirt. 

"Leave me alone Matt," groused Tai averting his red eyes. 

"I said get up!" The limber boy hoisted Tai into the air allowing his limp body to be propped up. "Now you listen to me - you're the one who is going to get us out of this mess - you got that? You've never let us down before and you're not going to start now." The others became moved by the statements the Bearer of Friendship was making. 

"You're our leader Tai," continued Matt, his voice building with emotion. "You can do this. So you made a mistake, we all do, but I - we can't do this with out you. You've never left us and we're not about to do that to you." 

"You didn't leave me alone at Digi-Tamamon's diner," said Joe standing up. "I've never been that good with washing dishes anyway." 

"You didn't leave me alone at Gekomon's palace," said Mimi also rising with Sora. "Although I wouldn't have mind . ." 

"Oh Mimi," sighed Palmon with a half smile. 

"You never leave me alone on my computer," spoke up Izzy. "I do need to join the real world on occasion." 

"You didn't leave me alone when I thought my crest wouldn't glow," reminded Sora. "And you were right."

"And I was never alone at the amusement park and you didn't let me eat those icky mushrooms!" chirped TK filling the Chosen with hope. 

"You've never left me alone either Tai," said Matt looking the Bearer of Courage right in the eyes. His voice then grew soft. "I can't do this Tai. I can't lead, we've chosen you as our leader. How can I fight evil when I know you're afraid?" Tai's eyes widened as he saw a bit of the fear bottled in Matt's eyes.

"I'm not afraid," started Tai standing to his feet by his own will. "I-I can do this . ."

"But not with out us!" cried Mimi forcing a cheer. 

"You got that right," agreed Sora. 

"We have to do this," said Matt. 

"We're the Digi Destined." The spoke their name in unison - all seven of the children fated to fight a war in another dimension. Saying those few words reminded them of the pledge they made and understanding who they were. It gave them strength to face a new challenge. 

Tai sighed. "I'm sorry I kind of lost it for a second." 

"Hey I do it all the time," said Joe. He sneezed. "I think I'm allergic to traveling between dimensions." 

"If we traveled through one dimension then there has to be a way out," said Sora. She blinked. "Um right Izzy?" The red head nodded.

"There most assuredly is a way to cross between worlds. The question is though - by what method do we do it." The Chosen smiled slightly as the Bearer of Knowledge appeared to be making a recovery from his guilt already. 

"I know one thing we should do," declared Mimi. "Eat!" The Digi Destined sighed. A classic Mimi answer for any problem.

"I want to eat too Joe!" whined Gomamon rolling onto his back melodramatically. 

"Hey I'm starving too!" retorted the Bearer of Reliability. 

"Famished," said Izzy clutching his stomach.

"I'll be ok," said Sora until her stomach growled loudly. She blushed deeply. "Or maybe not." 

"The digimon do need to keep their strength up," started Tai slowly. Agumon nodded in encouragement towards his partner. 

"Yeah, we need our energy," chimed Biyomon.

"But what are we going to eat?" reminded Matt folding his arms. "I could eat almost anything right now like fish or fruit like apples or . . " He stopped talking as his eyes took notice of something on the horizon. "Do you guys see something?" The group stopped talking of food to look at what Matt mentioned.

On the horizon, the air appeared to shimmer in a variety of colors. Then something took shape, but still not yet formed or determined what it was. 

"What do you think it is?" asked Sora. Tai whipped out his mini-telescope.

"It looks like . . " he began, "Apple trees." 

"Apple trees!" chirped Mimi clasping her hands together. She instantly took off running in the direction of the grove.

"Mimi wait!" cried Palmon, but then realized it was better to just chase after her partner. The Chosen sighed again at the Bearer of Sincerity before also taking off in pursuit. 

In no time flat, the Digi Destined and their digimon arrived in front of a decent sized grove of apple trees. The trees looked fresh and the apples appeared delicious. But despite how inviting the atmosphere was - the group was wary all the same.

"Great," muttered Joe. "They're probably poisonous."

"Oh please no," cried TK. "They look too yummy." 

"I don't care, I'm eating!" declared Mimi again. "Palmon?" The plant nodded. 

"**Poison Ivy!**" Long vines shook the tree branches raining apples down upon the Chosen. They cheered an set about to grabbing the fruit. Mimi, TK, and Sora all used their head gear to catch the apples. 

"It still might be a trap," said Joe. 

"Set by who?" asked Matt. "We're in another world, Joe. What could possibly be waiting for us?" He grabbed an apple out of his brother's hat and then mussed up TK's hair affectionately. The young boy giggled at his brother. 

"Hey," said Tai getting an idea. "Who wants their apples a la Agumon?" 

"Sounds good," said Sora breaking off twigs and shoving them into some apples before handing them to Tai. "Just don't turn them to charcoal. " 

Tai rolled his eyes with a smile. "I won't, I won't." 

"Joe get an apple and join the group," said Gomamon in between taking big bites of fruit. Joe stepped back and adjusted his glasses. 

"I would, but I'm allergic." Gomamon nearly fell over if it weren't for the fact he was already on the ground. 

"Joe!" scoffed the seal. 

"Hey! It's actually a more common problem than you would think. More than - "

"Ok ok! Sheesh - I didn't ask for your life story." Joe sighed before sitting down at the base of a tree. 

"I am glad I guess that the apples are sanitary for the others. But I need to eat too you know. If there were banana trees or something . . "

"Look Joe!" shouted Gomamon pointing with his flipper to the branches above Joe's head. "What are those?" 

"Ba-bananas?" gaped Joe. "I don't believe it." 

"Do you want to eat or not?" The older boy couldn't argue with that. 

After a while everyone sat down together with their collective catch of fruit. Despite being in trapped in another world, they were relatively pleased. 

"I love apples," said Mimi. When she was fed and in comfort, then she talked about it. Mimi gasped as she got an idea. "We should make apple pie!" The others stared at her. 

"Mimi, how do you propose to do that?" questioned Matt raising an eyebrow. 

"We posses none of the equipment that is required for a procedure such as the one you are suggesting. Nor the ingredients that would be combined to concoct your creation," informed Izzy. 

"Besides Mimi," finished Joe. "Wouldn't it be better to focus our attention on something else like getting out of this place?" Mimi grumbled.

"Jeeze, it was just an idea. I mean when I eat apples I just think of apple pie, ok? The way it tastes, how sticky it is, they way it - hey do you guys smell something?" A very familiar odor lingered in the air.

"No way," said Sora as the scent dawned on her. 

"I don't believe it," said Joe for the second time that day. 

Another ripple in the air formed and shimmered at a bit of a distance a way from the grove. This time, they could all easily tell what had just formed. It was a country kitchen just sitting on the ground as if someone had removed it from a house. It was decorated with curtains and potted plants as well as oak furniture next to the actual kitchen. And to top it off, sitting on the counter - in a row - were seven . . . 

"Apple pies!" squealed Mimi jumping up from her spot.

"I would call that a trap!" exclaimed Joe before sharply looking at Matt. The blonde just shrugged. 

"This is getting too weird even for me," said Izzy. 

"I'll say," agreed Sora. "How is this possible? Kitchens don't fall out of the sky with apple pies." 

"I wanted an apple pie and I got it!" cheered Mimi again. 

"That's right, she did," said Izzy thinking over situation in a different light. 

"And I mentioned apples before we found the apple trees," added Matt. "But it still doesn't add up." 

Tai stood apart from the Chosen as they tried to figure out the connection. He wasn't sure if he could lead anymore after his mistake in choosing the right card, but his friends still believed in him. Now, they moved onto the next task with out holding anything against him. It was amazing. They then turned and looked towards him awaiting an answer or a conclusion. 

__

They want me to lead . . . the thought created spark in Tai. 

"Tai?" asked Izzy with the others standing along side of him. They stood patiently for what the Bearer of Courage would do next. 

"I think I have an idea," said Tai as he walked away from the group, the grove, and now the kitchen to a bare area of land. He stood out in the middle very still. Tai took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His fists clenched. He seemed to he focusing very deeply on something, but what that was remained to be seen. 

Then it happened. 

The ground shook and sprouted a thick field of grass right from under Tai's feet. Two cage like structures popped up on opposite sides of the field. Then bleachers also shimmered off the side of the field. Finally, a ball popped up from ground and everything stopped. When Tai opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the middle of giant soccer field. 

"It worked," he breathed and totally amazed that his theory was correct. 

"Oh my," said Sora covering her mouth in shock. 

"I understand now," proclaimed Izzy with a smile. "This world produces what its occupants desires." 

"Huh?" was the collective response.

"What we want is what we get," finished Tai with a grin. 

"Exactly," confirmed Izzy. 

"So with Mimi and her obsessing over apple pie, this world then produces the apple pie?" asked Joe trying to understand what the Bearer of Knowledge was saying. Izzy nodded. "Wow." 

Matt looked over at Tai with a face of slight amusement. "You had to wish for a soccer field, didn't you?" Tai shrugged. 

Mimi and TK hadn't heard one single word about the theory. While everyone was distracted with "why", the pair was distracted with "how" - how as in how to eat those apple pies. Palmon and Patamon gladly helped. 

Sora strode out and dribbled the soccer ball between her feet. "Anyone up for a game?" 

"I think I'm going to summon a few things to get a working theory," said Izzy moving off into another sector. 

"As long as you summon more food!" reminded Tentomon. 

"This whole wishing thing is too weird for me," clipped Joe folding his arms.

"That's ok Joe, you can get me cool stuff instead!" cheered Gomamon and then leaped into his partner's arms. "I want candy, maybe a motorcycle, ooh - how about one of those things that makes you dizzy and throw-up?"

"A roller coaster?" 

"That's it!" 

Matt moved as well away from the group carrying Tsunomon. "Soccer isn't my thing." And then he walked off. 

Tai wasted no time in challenging Sora to a soccer match. The Bearer of Love eagerly accepted giving a fierce grin. If she loved nothing else, she loved pummeling Tai into a grassy field. 

"Ok Kamiya," gritted Sora. "You're going to soon learn why I'm the captain of the girls soccer team." 

"Am I?" the brunette mocked. He then proceeded to steal the ball from Sora and kick it into the net. "Well that shows you doesn't it." 

"Tackle her! Tackle her!" roared Agumon from the sidelines. 

"Agumon!" scolded Biyomon. "What on digi-world do you mean by that?" The digimon scratched his head.

"I dunno - it makes sense, doesn't it?" Biyomon just shook her head. 

"Ok Tai you're butt is going right here," threatened Sora pointing at the ground for emphasis. Tai rolled his eyes.

"Just say it Sora - my _ass _is grass."

"I refuse to swear Kamiya. Now are we going to play or what?" 

"I guess Sora," Tai began slyly. "I already scored a goal on you. What's the point?" Sora blinked at Tai in surprise, but then became skeptical.

"Oh really?" 

"Yes. In fact - how is my _ass_ going to get down to the grass as you suggest?" 

"Slow and painfully." 

"Ah, I see. Well there's one small flaw in your plan." He ran and launched himself at her. "THIS!" The two friends began to tackle each other and roll all over the field. Fighting, wrestling, and laughing. 

"I told you so!" cried Agumon triumphantly much to Biyomon's displeasure. 

Sora finally then broke away and kicked the soccer ball into the net. She stood as the victor in front of a bruised Tai.

"Hmm kicked your _butt_ and scored a goal at the same time? Sounds like a record I'd say." Tai couldn't respond being too out of breath. Sora walked over to him and merely poked him in the shoulder. Tai instantly fell to the ground. "Tired?"

"Just a bit," wheezed the boy. He stretched out on the grass folding his arms behind is head as Sora joined him doing the same. 

"If it wasn't for the messed up sky," said Tai slowly, "I'd say we were home." Sora nodded sadly. 

"Yeah, its amazing that in another world I can still feel the same way," she added. "I still want to play soccer and hang with my friends. And even though this isn't Earth, I can go through the same emotions." 

An uncomfortable silence settled in. 

"Sora?" 

"Yeah Tai?" The brunette turned his head away trying to get out his painful question.

"A-are you mad at me?" he whispered. His voice released some of his regret and remorse. "For the cards?" 

"Tai!" Sora outburst and sat up. "Of course not! I thought we went over this! You are our leader - we believe in you! Don't you see how much we trust you? The Courage you have is for all of us!" She grabbed his shoulders and slightly shook him. Her crimson eyes stared hard into him. Tai looked up and Sora could finally see the pain bottled in his eyes. This was a frightening look on Tai.

"No," he began again. "I know how the others feel, but . . " He took a breath. "How do _you_ feel Sora?" 

"Oh . . " She released her grip and sunk back into the grass. Her body turned away as she paused to reflect. Tai stared anxiously at her. "I can't really say . . "

"Oh." Tai swallowed the lump in his throat. 

"No! No, Tai it's not like that - it's complicated," admitted the red-head. "I-I feel that whatever you'd pick, I knew it was going to be the correct choice."

"Huh?" Sora kept her gaze on the ground trying hard not to loose her focus. 

"I-I don't feel that y-you can fail, Taichi." She said his full name to emphasize her feelings and the effect was not lost upon the brunette. "You are destined to win. And that whatever you choose will always be true - in my mind that is. If we are meant to be in this world by your hand, then I'll take it. I know that we can never lose, there can be no sorrow if we are guided by you." Her voice shook, but the beauty of her words soared.

Tai finally smiled and placed a hand on the girl-he-had-always-known's shoulder. Sora's cheeks pinked as she turned her gaze onto the Bearer of Courage.

"Thanks." Sora exhaled slightly, but her rigid state conveyed that she had another thought to get off her chest. 

"Um - Tai, I've also been thinking. If we are meant to be in this world . . . for a longer period of time than expected . . " Tai gulped a bit as she pretty much underlined the hopeless _forever_. "Do you think we can be a family?" 

"A family? Well yeah." Sora's eyes lit up. "We're all pretty much a family anyway, aren't we? We're the Digi-Destined and we all work together like a family."

"No, I-I meant you and - " She stopped herself as Tai was oblivious to the deeper meaning. She sighed. "Yeah. Family of Chosen." 

"Sora?" Tai asked with concern. "Are you - "

"Let's go check up on Izzy," she interrupted as well as standing up. "It's been a while. Maybe he has a theory or something." Tai nodded and then a devious grin appeared on his face. 

"Race you." Sora's ears instantly picked that up. 

"Another chance at total Kamiya humiliation? You're on!" She got in a runner's sprint.

"No, no, no my dear simple Sora." Tai closed his eyes and a racing bike materialized in front of him. "Man - I've always wanted one, but mom said they're too expensive." He climbed on. "Ready?" 

"Hold on." Sora then closed her eyes and materialized instead was a little car similar to a bumper car. She hopped in with Biyomon. "Ok - go!" She cackled and sped off leaving a confused Tai in the dust. 

"Why didn't I think of that?" 

****

*****

Two figures remained slumped over the kitchen table that had materialized out of no where. Seven empty pie pans lay scattered on the floor - totally clean of crust and delicious gooey center. Another pair of bodies - digital ones to be precise - were blissfully unconscious on the kitchen counter. 

"My tummy hurts," moaned Mimi, forehead pressed into the table. TK made an incoherent noise, but most likely he was voicing his agreement. "I need to lay down . . ." 

From about a few yards from the kitchen materialized a pink princess's bedroom complete with pink pajamas laying on the fluffy bed. Mimi instantly sat up wide eyed staring at what she had just been literally thinking about. 

"I wonder if I could get matching slippers?"

****

*****

"Four hundred and ninety eight . . . Four hundred and ninety nine . . . Five hundred . . " droned on a very board Joe. "Ok Gomamon, you were right - you can catapult yourself five hundred times through flaming hoops of fire and on to a scooter that propels you across an Olympic size swimming pool." He sighed deeply and stood up before cringing after hearing the loud crack from his back. 

"Ok Joe," said Gomamon rolling up to the teen on his digimon-size scooter. "It's your turn. What do you want to do?" 

Instantly all the stuff disappeared to be replaced by stacks of books and one lone wooden desk. 

"Who knows how long we'll be trapped here, Gomamon? I can't get behind if I'm going to make it into an advanced junior high school." Gomamon nearly fell over once again if it still wasn't for the fact he was already on the ground.

"Joe!" protested the seal digimon. "Don't you want anything for yourself?" Joe paused for a moment to mull it over.

"Good point." His eyes closed and appeared on the desk was a glass of ice tea.

"Joe!"

"You're right - I need lemon." 

****

*****

The Bearer of Friendship walked on in a direction that didn't not matter where it would lead. He just needed to keep moving and to think. He couldn't stop - just to keep going. 

Tsunomon shifted under the arm of his best friend. He peered as best he could up at his partner. 

"Do you want to eat, Matt?" asked the little digimon in his soft voice. "Are you tired? Would you like to rest?" 

"No, I'm fine." The short answer confused Tsunomon.

"If you say so . . "

The atmosphere surrounding the pair was silent. Matt wouldn't speak and it was beginning to frighten Tsunomon. He knew Matt liked his solitude, but currently this was verging on something else . . .

"Why don't you wish for something?" asked the digimon, hoping for conversation. 

He got a little bit more than that.

Matt stopped walking. He froze in place as his throat contracted not allowing him to speak. Using his strength, he pushed a hoarse answer through. 

"I-I can't . . " whispered Matt. "I-I can't wish because it'll just be taken away like everything else . . " The answer startled Tsunomon.

"What do you mean? Matt?" The blonde's body shook slightly and Tsunomon felt himself being squeezed a bit. 

"I'm scared Tsunomon," admitted Matt, "I don't want to be trapped in this place forever."

"We're going to get out, Matt," reminded Tsunomon. "Remember what we said with the others? We're all going to do this together!" 

"The others will!" shouted Matt suddenly releasing rage. "I know they can do this! But I don't think I can!" His breathing turned ragged. "I-I'm not sure if I can be of any help . . this is too hard being trapped . . if I wish for anything, then it's like I'm accepting that this horrible world actually exists - there is no life here and you can't do anything!"

"But maybe -"

"Maybe what?" ranted Matt, "Maybe I am scared of letting everyone down and this place is a reminder of failure! To me - this was everyone's fault being stuck here, not just Tai, if we were stronger . . . then maybe - maybe - we would've had a chance . . " 

"Do you think," trembled Tsunomon, "Do you think that power is most important of all?" He cringed at the very idea. 

"It seems to be everywhere in the digital world," confessed Matt in a softer tone, "The only way we seem to win battles is by being stronger than our enemies. W-we were too w-weak to make it through . . . " Tears stung at blue eyes. 

"Time is important. That's how we learn, through experiences that make us stronger." 

"But we don't have time!" argued Matt sinking to his knees. He trembled there closing his eyes to push back tears and clenching his fists. "I-I wish I was stronger!" The call echoed through the domain and Tsunomon quivered at the desire.

"Matt," said the digimon, "You're the strongest human I know, wishing isn't going to help. It's up to you if you're going to be stronger." Matt didn't answer, but sat down on the ground exhausted from his emotions.

"Yeah," he finally answered. He gave Tsunomon a small hug in his arms. "Are you hungry? Its been a while . ." 

"No," smiled Tsunomon, "But I have to admit, I'm feeling kind of cold." The fact hit Matt as he felt a shiver go through his body. 

"Now that you mention it, it's getting chilly here." The blonde rubbed his arms up and down trying to bring warmth back into them. The pair sat in silence getting a feel for where they were. 

"I don't like this feeling I'm getting," stated Tsunomon just before Matt's digivice went off.

****

Tsunomon digivolve to Gabumon!

A St. Bernard with a blue and white fur pelt and a horn on his head stood where the little orange digimon used to be. The digimon used his now better sense of smelling to his advantage as he tried picking up the scent of danger. 

"Do you sense anything Gabumon?" asked Matt rising to his feet. Gabumon shook his head.

"No, but I can't shake off this feeling . . "

"Let's just keep walking," answered Matt with some confidence. Gabumon nodded warily and joined his partner at his side. But it wasn't long before they noticed the next abnormality. 

"Is it me or is this place getting darker?" asked Matt. 

"This whole place is filled with darkness," added Gabumon. "There's no light anywhere . . I think we should turn around . . ."

"No, wait." The Bearer of Friendship's curiosity peaked as the landscape had taken shape just ahead. "I hear something, but it couldn't be . ." That seemed to be a recurrent phrase for all of the Chosen.

Waves crashed in the distance. 

"Is that an ocean?" The pair looked at each other briefly before sprinting towards the sound. Finally, the reached a cliff that overlooked what they had heard.

"Oh man," awed Matt. "That has got to be the blackest ocean I have ever seen." Indeed the water had no color nor did the sand, only the partners had yet to notice their lack of color. Grays and blacks seemed to be the textures that thrived. 

"This isn't right," muttered Gabumon, "Can we please turn back Matt?" The digimon was not getting the best of vibes from this place. A feeling as evil as the one he was getting could never be good. 

"Ah - sure," answered the blonde uneasily. For some reason, he couldn't push himself to leave. The ocean was powerful with its mighty waves. And it seemed to - but it couldn't possibly . . . 

__

It's calling to you, came that little voice in the back of his mind. _It's calling you . . _

As Gabumon pulled on Matt to leave, a final sound caught their attention. 

"I'm here," came a small voice from down below. "I'm here with out anybody else." The voice sounded young and confident. No fear despite the presence of the dark ocean. 

"There's someone down there!" cried Matt. "There's someone else here! We need to find out who it is." 

"But who could it be Matt?" questioned Gabumon, trying to be that voice of reason. "There's only the others, but they'd all be back at the camp."

"I don't know, but maybe they know a way out of here." _Or something more . . _tugged that little voice once again. 

Gabumon reluctantly joined Matt at scaling down the cliff. The blonde's pace was going at an alarmingly fast rate. Even with the digimon's own climbing skill, Gabumon was finding it hard to keep up with his partner. 

The call of the ocean remained strong in the mind of the Bearer of Friendship. 

"Hey kid!" called Matt upon reaching the gray beach. "Hey you!" The child remained still standing in front of the crashing black waves. The child also appeared not to have heeded Matt's call. As he ran with Gabumon towards the mysterious child, Matt got a better observation. The child was a boy with dark hair that hung around his face. His ivory complexion was deeply enhanced by the surroundings. 

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" shouted Matt once more. He was growing frustrated. TK would always respond quickly to anyone, but this kid was definitely pushing his luck. Matt grabbed the shoulders of the boy to get his attention.

"Don't touch me!" roared the boy back. The voice was cold and icy. A tone one would never expect to hear coming from a child as young as he. The boy couldn't have been any older than TK, yet his violet eyes held such a loss of innocence in them. Matt slowly stood back.

"We're only trying to -"

"What are you doing here?" demanded the boy. "Who are you? Get out! This my domain! I don't want anything to do with you!" 

"Wait a second!" shot back Matt, his temper flaring. "How did you get here? Don't you start questioning us!" The little boy closed his eyes as if he was also trying to suppress his annoyance.

"Leave," he gritted through his teeth. "You're all insects like everyone else. Like Ryo and my parents. Like the kids at my school. You're beneath me." He turned and stared at some device in his hand. 

"You're mine now . . "

"Please forgive my master," whimpered a worn voice from the shadows. Matt and Gabumon tried to make out the figure, but the darkness was too strong. "He's not like this . . he's really gentle and kind . . so kind . . ." The voice sounded terribly sad and lost. 

"Stay out of this!" commanded the boy to the shadows. The figure seemed to shrink back out of shame and loyalty.

__

"That's it," muttered Matt, his eyes narrowing at the boy. "What's in your hand?" He leered over the boy and moved to grab whatever was in his hand. Matt had had enough and wanted some real answers. 

"That's mine now!" screamed the boy fighting off Matt. Despite their age and size difference, the kid was putting up a fight. As Matt grabbed the device, a wave of power swept through his body. He cried out as he felt his senses overloading.

"Matt!" called Gabumon moving to help his partner, but some unseen force kept him back from the two boys. 

**__**

"You can't help him now fool . . " taunted a sinister and deep voice from the ocean. 

"Yamato!!"

The Bearer of Friendship gripped the device and pulled it out of the little boy's hand. The break sent a wave of energy out through the ocean as both boys collapsed to the ground. Matt moved to his knees panting heavily holding the device in his hand. Now he saw what it was - another couldn't be . . .

"A digivice?" breathed Matt. It was identical to his own. He looked questionably towards the dark haired boy. 

"I said that's mine!" raged the child, but his body clearly showed exhaustion. 

**__**

"Not anymore . . ." the voice from the ocean called. The boy shrank back as his violet eyes quivered finally with fear.

__

"But you said- _"_

****

"Things have changed . . you're not quite the person I expected you to be in the future, such a weakling . . pity . . "

"No!" argued the boy, "No! I'm going to be the one - "

**__**

"Correction - you were_ going to be the one, the one who would rule, but now . . . I have someone else in mind . . ." _Gabumon instantly figured things out. 

"Matt! Get out of there!" As the Bearer of Friendship looked up from the ground, a black wave came crashing down upon him, dragging the blonde out to the dark sea. 

The waves rolled Matt around and he struggled to stay afloat. But as he went deeper, somehow he felt more and more power surging through his body and it seemed to be coming from the new digivice in his hand. 

**__**

"So much potential," the voice observed. Every word seemed to bring on another set of waves. Matt choked on the water as his body literally began to glow with darkness. **_"The desire of power is strong . . you don't want to admit weakness, do you? Let me rectify that for you . . ." _**

"Please, stop," choked out Matt bobbing helplessly. "Gabumon . . " 

**__**

"He can't help you . . no one can, but no matter - you don't need them, you don't need friendship . . . they're beneath you, be the supreme being that you are destined for . . ." 

Matt couldn't comprehend what the voice was saying. He couldn't understand the power nor the place he was trapped in. All he knew was, he couldn't take it anymore. So he focused on one thing. 

"GABUMON!!!" 

Both digivices glowed together combining their power into one great wave of blue light. They instantly triggered the Crest of Friendship. 

**__**

"What?! A Crest?!" hissed the voice. The waves recoiled from the power surging through Matt. **_"That's impossible!!" _**

Gabumon digivolve to Garurrumon! 

Garurrumon digivolve to Were Garurrumon!

The ultimate glowed blue receiving double the power he had ever felt before. Soaring, he tore right into the water at hyper speed. The waves parted from the digimon's body. 

"Matt!" growled Were Garurumon diving into the water and pulling out his partner. 

**__**

"NO!!" boomed the voice as tentacles rose out of the ocean towards the pair. 

"You're not taking him!" roared back the digimon. He felt Matt giving him the power. It pulsed through his body as he unleashed his fury.

****

"Garurru Kick!" 

The blade of energy ripped into the tentacles and the dark ocean sending the creature back into the depths from where it came. With out even looking back to see if the thing survived, Were Garurumon sped off with a half-unconscious Matt away from the nightmare world. 

The digivice fell from the sky. 

"It's mine now," whispered the boy grasping it in his hand. "Mine . . "

"Master?" asked the boy's companion before he fell unconscious as a faint pink glow surrounded him. The pair faded away from the dark world as well. 

****

"_This," _rumbled the voice with an edge of irritation in its tone. The tentacles retracted into the ocean. "**_This is not how I wanted things to go . . _**"

"**But it's doable**," answered another. A shadow lowered itself down from the sky. This voice was deeper giving off the definite hint of evil and doom. 

"**We should talk . . **"

****

*****

The race came to an end as Sora was once again the victor despite Tai's lame attempt at winning by wishing for rocket boosters on his racing bike. Like most of the famous Wile E. Coyote schemes, this plan backfired expectantly. 

"I-I let you win," wheezed an out of breath and charbroiled Tai. Sora shrugged an climbed out easily of her racing car. It instantly disappeared.

"Hmm," she noted of the vanishing vehicle. "I guess our wishes don't really last that long once our conscious is through with them." She then looked over to Tai. "Tai, are you sure this is where is Izzy is?" The now composed Bearer of Courage pulled out his digivice. He gave it a quick shake before looking at it again.

"I think so," he stated. "But I'm not even sure if this thing is working right."

"Well maybe they can't work outside of the digital world, after all they've never really been removed from it." 

"No I don't think so," argued Tai. "When I got sucked through that rip after the battle with Etemon that took me to Earth, the digivice worked fine. Although it was unstable at some points . . . but still working!" Sora pulled out her own device off of her belt. 

"Is yours acting unstable Sora?" asked Agumon. The red head shook her head. 

"No, its working, but I'm getting a reading of more than seven digi destined . . that obviously can't be right. Maybe the device is picking up all of our wishes because they are from our mind and maybe that's how our devices work because they're connected deep to our brain patterns!" 

Three blank faces looked at the girl. 

"Sora, how much time do you spend around Izzy?" Sora huffed and crossed her arms sourly. 

"Oh please - I think I can show a little imagination when I want to, ok Tai? So why don't you - Tai?" The brunette's attention seemed focus elsewhere and as Sora followed his gaze, she stumbled upon an interesting site.

"Now I know we've found Izzy," said Tai.

Indeed they had as they had reached an area almost entirely covered in various types of computer equipment as well as a few other miscellaneous gadgets. What really made the situation move from unbelievable to positively freaky was that gallons of ice cream scattered about. 

"Why didn't I think of that?" repeated Tai surveying the tons of ice cream. He eyed them hungrily.

"Come on," insisted Sora pulling a whimpering Tai away from the frozen feast. "Hey, there he is! Izzy! Izzy!" 

The Bearer of Knowledge shot his head up towards the sound of his name. He was sitting in front of a huge computer with wires streaming from all over that somehow connected into the back of the pineapple laptop. The laptop looked like it was literally glowing from all the power it was receiving from the super computer. 

"Uh hi guys," greeted Izzy a bit nervously. The pair and their partners eyed him suspiciously. 

"Izzy . . what's that you're holding?" The younger boy shrunk back protecting his prize. "That wouldn't be double chocolate brownie fudge ice cream, would it?" interrogated Tai.

"You've found my weakness," admitted Izzy revealing his large container of ice cream. "My mom hardly ever lets me have ice cream thinking it will rot my teeth out. I, however, am very careful about proper dental hygiene care so the chance of me getting a cavity is at an extremely low percentile." 

"Besides," added Tentomon waddling in with a pint in each appendage. "Izzy only gets the low-sugar ice cream!" Sora and Tai glanced at Izzy quizzically.

"Ew, that's stuff is just, ew" said Sora. 

"I can't believe anyone eats that junk willingly," agreed Tai before setting his sites on the bug digimon's hoard. "Hey Tentomon," he leered, "Do you I can -" 

"Get your own!" shouted Tentomon hopping away from Tai's outstretched hand. Tai blinked at the statement seconds before he materialized his own ice cream. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough - sugar included, of course. 

"So any progress?" asked Sora politely. Izzy nodded before reluctantly setting down his ice cream. Sora, Tai, and their partners plus Tentomon settled themselves down for an Izzy theory. 

"At first I wasn't sure what to make of this place," started the Bearer of Knowledge. "The Digital World was definitely an abnormality, but this place is just something else." The others nodded in understanding. "But while I was materializing some equipment, something occurred that gave me evidence for a suitable hypothesis."

"Hey!" defended Tentomon. "It was an accident!" The others blinked in confusion. Izzy sighed.

"Agumon - do you see the relatively small and cheap computer over there?" 

"You mean the one that says Microsoft on it?" Sora and Tai repressed giggles. 

"Ah - yes. Could you aim an attack at it?" The rookie nodded.

****

"Pepper Breath!" 

A ball of fire streaked towards the computer and hit it dead on. There was nothing left once the fire dissolved.

Except . . . 

"Oh my," breathed Sora her eyes widening. 

"Whoa," added Tai looking towards Izzy.

"Then I presume you see what I mean," finished the red head. 

"It's made of data," said Sora. Indeed the air around the computer was filled with data particles.

"Just like the digital world," confirmed Izzy. 

"What does it mean?" asked Tai. "Are we still in the digital world or what?" 

"I think we're in another world that is parallel to it," he turned towards his lap top and hit a key. Appearing on the screen was the outline of the two worlds - digital and real. "Remember at Etemon's pyramid how I theorized that the real world and the digital world were parallel to each other, but connected over by the internet lines? Well, my theory is that this is another parallel world in line with both worlds. It's especially in connection with the digital world because everything is still made of data." 

"So if this world is parallel with our own," thought out Sora, "Then we can still get home!"

"Yes," agreed Izzy. 

"Why didn't we discover this world before?" questioned Tai. "We've gone over almost every area of the digital world? Why haven't we found it earlier?"

"Because it takes an extra link of power to get here and . . " his eyes averted their gaze. "I think there is only one way to get here . . "

"The cards?" softly asked Sora. The Bearer of Knowledge nodded somberly and Tai clenched his fists.

"Those _things_ ruined everything again," hissed Tai. He tried to suppress his fury. 

"Before we start tearing this place apart," started Izzy again leveling his voice to that of reason. "This world needs to be recognized of what it is. I think the digital world is created from our own." 

"You mean our world isn't real?" asked Biyomon. 

"No, no it's real, but I think its origins come from our Internet." The bird digimon nodded, but didn't seem relaxed yet. 

"The digital world is deeply connected to the real world, but their connection to this place remains to be seen. I speculate this is the after math of a failed merge of some kind. Information that couldn't be processed completely wound up here or," Izzy gulped for a moment. "This could be the first digital world - a world that possibly, its unlikely, but it might have . . "

"Failed?" asked Tentomon meekly. Izzy nodded as the three digimon shuddered. They knew they were made of data, but seeing a mutation like the world they were in was just another reminder of their ability to be "reformed". 

"Ok I think I get this," said Tai. "So if this world is connected with the digital world and we know what the gate is . . what's stopping us from taking off?" Izzy slouched down once again. 

"I'm not sure which digital world we're connected to," responded the Bearer of Knowledge. Sora took an apprehensive step forward.

"Like alternative universes?" Tai just stood dumbstruck. 

"Come again?!" 

"The digital world is a parallel universe," said Izzy. "It works along the side of our own. An alterative universe would be one identical to our own except its based - in theory - on the other choices we've made in our lives. Such as you could have scored a goal in soccer to win the game or missed and lost it." 

"So in another alterative universe . . I won the state championships?"

"Keep dreaming Tai."

"It's quite possible," agreed Izzy. He smirked. "But doubtful. With that in mind, I'm not sure which digital world this will lead to. This world seems just different somehow digitally in comparison with the digital world it should be connected to, which leads be to wonder of the possibility of other digital worlds." He then turned to remove one of his yellow gloves.

"Izzy!" gasped Sora. "Your hand! It's injured - what happened?"

"A minor setback . . a painful one, but a consequence of another discovery." He grimaced as he turned over his palm revealing a severe burn, but bandaged. "When I noted that this word was made up of data, I decided to use the digivice as an analysis of sorts to compare and contrast this world's data with that of the digital world's. However, as I brought the digivice up to the screen, a most curious thing happened. A digital gate revealed itself." Izzy proceeded to demonstrate his statements and sure enough, a black gate appeared on the screen. "Only, the gate reads 'closed'." 

"You mean," began Tai, "that all someone would have to do is hold up a digivice to a computer and instantly they have a gate to a parallel world?" He blinked. "That's pathetically easy." Sora nodded in agreement.

"Kind of lame, if you ask me." 

"Yes it's disturbing that there is such a blatant approach to the digital world, but who am I to argue?" finished Izzy.

"But the gate is closed," reminded Sora.

"I know," sighed the red-head boy. "Our digivices are somehow not powerful enough. Which explains my accident . . I tried tapping into another power source to force open the gate with a boosted digivice . . . the plan backfired as you can see," He hesitated for a moment, pondering whether to tell them the next piece of news. "I felt though something . . dark, there's just no other feeling to describe it. There may be more than one world on this plane."

"I'm really starting to not like this place," spoke Tai warily as his eyes suddenly fixated on the sky above them. The atmosphere was rapidly changing to black and almost storm like of some sorts.

"There may be another presence here in this world," said Izzy. His eyes closed as lightning flashed. "One that we've yet to encounter . . ." 

****

*****

"All right you over grown Gundam wannabe!" rang out a fearless, and almost at the same time, a reckless voice. "You're never going to stop us! We're going to defeat you, save the world, and be home in time for dinner!" 

"Is it taco night Daisuke?" growled a friendly blue-dragon. 

"Sure is Ex-Veemon," answered the maroon haired young man with tan complexion. He adjusted the goggles nestled in his wild hair. "And I know you want to make it back in time before Jun eats it all." 

"Here that you giant freak!" shouted the dragon gaining courage from his partner. "I'm going to eat tacos and there's nothing you're going to do about it!"

****

"V-Laser!" 

A giant X-shape laser shot out from the dragons chest towards a giant, mobile suit like, monster. It was huge with a hideous face and a red-mask. Despite it's obnoxious appearance, the dark power surging from it gave anyone a shiver of fear. 

"Pathetic attempt," answered the monster, but then recoiled from the laser despite his prideful comment. 

"Had enough?" smirked the teen. 

"Daisuke!" called out one of the boy's friends. He had an expression of worry upon his face with blue eyes trying to hold in some hope for the pair fighting. "Be careful! We can't let Malo Myotismon get near those kids!" Just as the blonde said, there were a cluster of children looking pale and frightened at distance from where the fight was going on. 

"Their Dark Energy will revive my true power!" shouted Malo Myotismon. "And there's nothing you brats can do about it once my darkness spreads over both worlds!" 

"He's up to the same scheme!" cried out a white-cat narrowing piercing eyes full of hatred at the monster. "I need to digivolve!" She looked over towards a petite girl with a layered light brown hair.

"I-I don't want to loose you," whispered the girl fearfully. She wrapped her arms around her body, shaking. "The Darkness . . . it's everywhere . . " 

"I feel it too," stated a smooth voice from a boy with an ivory complexion and indigo hair. Yet, his thoughts suddenly digressed as he could feel a change in his body that he couldn't quite comprehend at that time.

"Ken, you should Jogress with Daisuke," spoke up a lavender haired girl with glasses. "Imperial Dramon can take out this son of a -" 

"Iori!" screamed the light-haired girl. Her brown eyes quivered in fear as she looked towards a young boy with flashing green eyes holding a glowing device up. A second later a giant golden creature rammed into Malo Myotismon. 

"You can do it Ankylomon," encouraged Iori. He stood frighteningly close to the battle. 

****

"Tail Hammer!" 

"I'm going to try too!" cried the lavender haired girl. 

"Then I'm going for it Miyako," crowed a giant horned eagle soaring literally into battle. 

****

"Blast Rings!"

"Nice shot Aquillamon!" cheered Miyako.

"You see!" taunted Daisuke looking proudly at his friends. "Your nightmare won't work on us and your darkness won't spread! Just admit defeat!"

"Never!" growled Malo Myotismon. "Their despair shall be mine!" 

"Not if we can stop it!" chimed the trio of champions. The let loose another round of attacks. 

"Hey!" shouted Daisuke towards the other members of their team. "Why don't you guys join the fight? You can do it!" The blonde boy looked at the light haired girl. His eyes watched over her with concern. She was obviously sensing something. 

"What are you feeling?" he whispered softly to her. He understood how she could feel the balance of good and evil. 

"Darkness," she spoke. "But not from them . . there's something else here in this world with us . . but then I'm also feeling light." The boy tilted his head curiously.

"Light?" She nodded, but wouldn't continue her thought as the echoing fight distracted her. 

"I think we need to help now." They turned together towards their friends and sent the angels themselves after the devil himself.

****

"Hand of Fate!"

"Celestial Arrow!" 

While the others became involved in their fight, Ken was taking notice to what the girl had said. The feelings of darkness and light. He rubbed the base of his neck as he turned his attention towards the group of scared children. Ken noticed something had changed in them during the battle. They no longer seemed so dark . . 

"Are you guys ok?" asked Ken. 

"I feel . . " stammered one little brunette boy. His eyes changed from clouded over and reverted back to normal focus. The boy sat up. "Better." A wave of transformation swept over the group and the children appeared to have recovered from the darkness. 

"How did you notice that Ken?" asked a green-worm/caterpillar like creature standing next to the boy. "How did you know that the darkness left them?" 

"Because I felt it too," whispered Ken, "I felt all the pain leave." A small smile crept upon his lips. "There's no more darkness." The children smiled as well and Ken almost felt like laughing. However, a second thought occurred. "Wait if there's no more darkness in the kids for Malo Myotismon, he's out of power!" 

"I still don't understand Ken," said the boy's companion. "What happened to the darkness?" 

"I have no idea Wormmon," admitted the indigo haired teen. "All I know is that something has definitely changed." 

****

*****

"We need to find some shelter!" called out Mimi as the storm had reached the base camp. 

"Mimi!" reminded Joe, Gomamon, Palmon, TK, and Patamon. Mimi hit herself in the forehead.

"Oh yeah!" She closed her eyes and a cabin appeared in front of the group.

"Good call!" said Joe above the tumult of the storm. But just as soon as the cabin had appeared, so did it vanish during the flashes of lightning. 

"What?!" cried Mimi aghast. "I wished for that!" 

"Oh great," cursed Joe. "Now we're all going to get catch a fever and die!" 

"Die?" whimpered TK. 

"Nice going there Joe," chided Gomamon as Joe now had to deal with a freaked TK. 

"TK what I meant was -" Joe sighed and decided it was best to move on. "We need to find shelter." 

"But there's no where to go," reminded Mimi. "And what happened to my wish? It totally flopped!"

"Maybe the storm is interfering somehow," said Joe. "But there's no time - we need to do something." 

"I can't see a thing either," added Palmon. 

"This weather isn't great for flying too," said Patamon. The little digimon had opted to perch on TK's hat rather than try and remain air born with gusty winds. 

"This place is barren," assessed Joe. "And we need to find the others . . Maybe they'll have a better idea . . ." 

"We just stay here?!" shrieked Mimi pulling down her hat before it could fly off. "The rain is going to start pouring any minute!" 

And sure enough it did. 

"Thanks Mimi," muttered Joe. His glasses fogged up. Mimi huffed at him and seethed from the misery of the situation. 

"I did NOT wish for this!" Joe sighed.

"I know, I know. Come on - let's at least try to look for the others." So the group walked as best they could against the heavy sheet of rain and the fierce winds blowing against them. Their strength soon began to leave them as well.

"I-I can't walk anymore," panted TK, now holding Patamon for warmth as well as comfort. Joe took pity on the little boy and moved to carry him.

"Here Joe, let me take your bag," spoke up Mimi showing her compassionate side. Although she would love to be carried as well, she easily understood that TK was still so young. Joe gave a small smile as Mimi took a weight from him. Actually, two weights as Gomamon was in the bag. 

"This is not going well," said Palmon. "I think I'm over watered!" 

"Come on," urged Joe. He was responsible for them. He had to do this. "We're going to find them." 

"It's nice," said Mimi sweetly. "when you're optimistic Joe." Joe's cheeks pinked slightly, but fortunately for him the storm managed to hide the blush. 

"Hey!" called out a voice from the storm. "Is anybody out there?" 

"Joe! Mimi! TK! Matt! Somebody answer!" 

"That's Tai!" cried Joe. 

"And Sora!" shouted Mimi. 

"Hey Tai!" The trio and their partners ran towards the direction of the voice. "Tai! It's us!"

"Joe?" 

"Oh thank goodness you guys are all right!" The groups met up thankful that they had at last found each other. 

"This is whack," said Tai as Chosen now huddled in a group. "None of our wishes worked!"

"Same with us," replied Mimi. "It worked for like two seconds, but then - poof!"

"I think its this storm," admitted Joe. "What do you think Izzy?" Everyone turned to look at the red haired genius. 

"It's possible that the storm is the interference with the abnormal dimensions of this world, but there's still that something else . . " Sora and Tai nodded. The sense of darkness lurked. 

"Evil," whispered TK. "There's evil out there." The others stared at the youngest Chosen questionably. The lack of innocence in his words was disturbing, but TK had that side to him that made one wonder. However, in a complete one eighty of his maturity, the little blonde started crying.

"Where's Matt? He shouldn't be out there!" Sora took the mother role and held TK supportively. 

"Don't worry TK," comforted Sora. "Matt's going to be fine."

"Hey," added Tai. "He's got Gabumon, what's the worse that could happen?" 

A flash of lightning ripped across the sky outlining figures in the darkness. 

"Speak of the devil," breathed Joe, a bit in awe of the impeccable timing.

"Hey Matt!" Nothing. "Matt?" 

"He's a bit out of it Tai," answered Gabumon dragging along a sluggish Matt. The Bearer of Friendship looked pale and there was darkness under his eyes. The frail condition Matt looked in was disturbingly enhanced by the dismal weather. 

"I-I'm fine," stuttered Matt shivering. "T-This weather is f-freezing . . " 

"You look beat man," continued Tai. "Are you ok?" Tai peered at the blonde knowing all too well how Matt was stubborn about expressing his feelings.

"Just the storm," he insisted. 

"Well what now?" whined Mimi. "We're alone, in another world, and its raining!" 

"No food, no anything," muttered Joe.

"Complaining isn't going to do us any good, Joe," spoke up Sora. "Maybe if we -"

"My computer crashed!" shouted Izzy staring in disbelief at his screen. "How is this - this is- illogical!" Everyone gaped. This was not good. 

Sora managed a smile. "Ok so there are a couple of things that are -" 

"My hat!" And then did the wind finally take off with Mimi's pink - one of a kind - hat. That sent her into a fury. 

"Well maybe -"

"Cram the optimism Sora!" shrieked Mimi. "This is a total disaster!"

"I'm sorry," huffed Sora. "I was just trying to be helpful, but fine you guys can all -" She finished with a few words that even made Tai blanch.

"Sora! Get a grip!" The red head grumbled and turned away. Everyone was getting really edgy and not quite themselves. 

"Things got interesting," smirked Matt suddenly overcome with energy. He stood up from the huddle and began to walk off. 

"Where are you going?" demanded Tai. A feeling of unexplained resentment thrived in his chest.

"Out," mocked the blonde. He laughed lowly. "Doesn't matter, the darkness is everywhere . ." 

"What's with them?" cried Agumon incredulously. He turned towards the other digimon all looking at their partners with confusion. 

"Why are they being so - so . ." struggled Biyomon wincing as Sora shouted a few more obscenities. 

"Mean?" finished Tentomon. He backed away from Izzy as the red head looked a positively furious (a bit psychotic too) with his crashed computer. 

"Or jerks, snobs, idiots - those are words that come to mind," muttered Gomamon.

"I don't care what happens to any of you," announced Joe. "You can all get yourselves killed for all I care. I'm not responsible for you." 

"Like we care what you think geek!" insulted Mimi before slapping Joe across the face. 

"Mimi!" cried Palmon. The older boy glared daggers at the girl and as she swung again, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and flung her back to the ground. Mimi promptly followed her fall with a kick to the shins and then took off in another direction.

"They've gone nuts!" called out Gomamon. He had never ever seen Joe treat anyone as he just did to Mimi. It was totally bizarre. 

"I hate you all," said Sora.

"Oh go get deleted," muttered Izzy.

"I never liked any of you," declared Mimi.

"Get killed for all I care," repeated Joe. 

"Evil," whispered TK. "Darkness . . " The little boy remained curled on the ground. His bright blue eyes now dimmed with despair. 

"No TK don't say that," said Patamon. The digimon couldn't take seeing his partner so lost of hope. 

"Now you guys are much more interesting," observed Matt giving a cruel smile. 

"Why should we care what you think?!" raged Tai. His body was vibrating with uncontrollable fury. 

"Hmm," noted Matt tilting his head to the side. "Feeling jealous Tai? I bet you can feel the power that is pulsing through my body. And it's absolutely killing you knowing that I have it and not you." 

"NO!" boiled the brunette. He pointed threateningly at the blonde. "I'll show you who's the strongest Chosen even if I have to kill you to prove it." Matt laughed lowly once again before turning sharply on Tai. 

"Bring it on."

*********

"I am through with you pests," seethed Malo Myotismon. "The hour of darkness draws nears - "

****

"Crimson Mist!"

A cloud of deep read seeped from the monster and swept towards the group. The poison stung the digimon as they shielded their partners from the danger. 

"Daisuke . ." gritted EX-Veemon as he felt his whole body was on fire. 

"Hang on!" encouraged Daisuke with sparkles in his deep brown eyes. 

"I don't think they can take this for much longer," cried Miyako. 

"Don't worry . ." growled Aquillamon. 

"You guys aren't convincing," said Iori quietly. 

"Please stop," whimpered the light haired girl. She clutched her head as some force of pain raced through her body. "Darkness . . "

"Yes it's strong . . too strong even for your light," hissed Malo Myotismon. "Allow me to show you why!" 

****

"Nightmare Illusion!"

Overpowering white light flooded over the group. It was so intense and bright that it was as if they were looking into the sun. There was a feel to the light as well, not soft and holy, but evil and blinding taking over everything that it possibly could. Power also radiated from the light, power that could only be done for evil . . 

The Chosen tried not to look into its light. It was hypnotizing as if it was calling to them offering the one thing - the one desire - they could have every wanted. Their insecurities seem to fade as they let go and fell back into the light. 

For some there might have been a true wish in the illusion. For one there was nothing, because he felt he had everything he could have ever wanted. The true miracle. But while the dark magic might have worked at one point . . . this was a different story now . . . 

"No more," a calm voice filled their minds as Malo Myotismon's illusion was forced back by a different light. The right light. A light for all that was good and holy. 

"What?!" screeched the monster stepping back and shielding his demon eyes from the pure light that had destroyed his spell. "No light shines here!"

"Light is all that is left with out your darkness," spoke the voice again, the source now visible. 

"Hikari?"

The very same as the light haired girl now glowed her pure, soft light. Her face was set in a determined feature with eyes lit with fire that would vanquish darkness. Her hair blew slightly by invisible wind. The Child of Light now stood before them all with her holy partner hovering over. Their radiance was too much for the monster.

"Oh my god," awed Daisuke. "She is the light." He looked towards the blonde for some answers and saw his blue eyes intensely fixed on Hikari. 

"This has happened before," the blonde stated to the amazement of the others. "Against the Dark Masters - Machinedramon, it was incredible - there was no darkness and suddenly the light emerged."

"No darkness," repeated Ken. His violet eyes went back and forth from the captured children to Hikari. "Then it's true - the darkness is gone." 

"Huh?" gaped Miyako. "I'm lost. I though he was the darkness." She pointed at Malo Myotismon who was currently crippled by the light. 

"No the darkness was in myself and the kids. Because of the Dark Seed," said Ken. "We all felt it in us, but then it disappeared. I can't explain, but I just know that its gone."

"For good?" asked Iori. Ken closed his eyes. 

"I can't say." 

"It doesn't matter now," spoke Daisuke giving an encouraging smile towards Ken. "The darkness is gone and the freak is going down." He turned towards the blonde again. "Will Hikari take him down with out us?" 

"I'm not sure," he hesitated. "The last time Hikari gave some kind of power to Agumon and he just warped digivolved. We never had any idea of her true capabilities."

"You have been stopped," called out Hikari. Her voice was strong. She closed her eyes and her light spread to her partner. "Angewomon!" 

"I'm ready Hikari!" The holy warrior soaked up the light and felt the power. She formed her weapon prepared to take down the monster yet again with her piercing arrow. 

****

"Celestial Arrow!" 

As the white beam shot out towards Malo Myotismon, he suddenly found what he has been searching for. In one fluid movement, he grabbed the arrow and snapped its energy in half. The block caused a ripple that flowed back instantly to the group causing them all to fall. 

Hikari was awakened from her "enlightened" state and she collapsed from the release of power. Angewomon swooped down to tend to her partner. 

"Your light is weak and I have found the darkness," declared Malo Myotismon. "The end is here!" With his boastful words he took flight and soared off into an unknown direction. 

"He's getting a way!" called out Daisuke. He moved to hop on to EX-Veemon and take chase.

"Daisuke! Wait!" cried Miyako. "Hikari fainted!" Daisuke gritted his teeth in anger at the demon.

"I'm going to fry him . ." 

"L-lets g-go after him you guys," came a soft voice. "I'm coming t-too . ."

"Are you sure?" A pair of warm blue eyes looked down upon Hikari's face. 

"Yes," she answered squeezing his hand. Daisuke looked a way concealing his emotions. Now wasn't the time for jealousy. 

"I don't know if we can take him," spoke up Miyako. "Each time we think we have him - he finds another source of power."

"We can't just give up!" shouted Daisuke. He looked impatiently towards his friends trying to stir some courage in them. 

"I'm with you pal," said EX-Veemon.

"So am I," said Ken. He wasn't shaking this time. Ken looked towards his partner. "How about you Wormmon?"

"Anytime you want Ken." The indigo haired boy nodded. 

"Then lets do it!" 

****

Wormmon digivolve to Stingmon! 

A green armored humanoid bug stood in place of the once little creature. Wings then slid out from his back as he turned towards Ken.

"He's going down!" 

"Yes." Ken closed his eyes as a strong feeling came over him. "No more darkness. I want to help as much as I can. I know you will do it Wormmon and I've always believed in you. Now I believe in myself too. I know now that the Powers of Darkness will never triumph. We will do this for both worlds, it's the least I can do for all the cruelty I had caused as the Kaizer." With his final words, a magenta glow came from underneath the boy's sweater. 

"Is that a - " awed Daisuke. "It's the Crest of Kindness!" 

"K-kindness," trembled Ken. His eyes filled with tears of happiness. He had known darkness and cruelty for so long, he had thought that kindness would never shine for him. 

"You see Ken-chan," said Stingmon with an affectionate tone. "I told you, you are kind and soft and that's why you're a good person." 

****

Stingmon digivolve to Paildramon!

"Huh?" was again the collective response. 

"A crest?" murmured Hikari. "That hasn't happened for quite a while." 

"Paildramon?" gaped Veemon. "Um, what about me?"

"Don't worry about it pal," cheered Daisuke slapping his partner on the back. "I'm sure you can still Jogress with Stingmon - now he just has another way to get to Ultimate!" 

"A crest power will take down Malo Myotismon," said Iori, his green eyes flashed for justice. 

"Yeah!" cried Miyako pumping a fist into the air. Then a thought hit her. "Ah - why exactly did the Crest of Kindness work?"

"Our crests were used for the barrier," spoke up the blonde. "But the Crest of Kindness was possibly created after our first adventure. Probably to deal with the threat of Millenniumon."

"Naw!" chirped Daisuke. "Ken's just finally accepted that everything is ok! Darkness will never control him again!" He slapped Ken on the back as he would a team mate. The taller boy blushed slightly from the outgoing gesture. 

"What now?" asked Hikari becoming very worried. "He - he stopped the light. Malo Myotismon stopped the darkness. Its impossible. There was no darkness . ."

"Around us . . " finished Ken, his eyes widened at the realization. "It had to have, I can't believe it, but it's the only way! The darkness is not gone, its still just as strong!"

"What?!" shouted Miyako. "Ok, I'm getting a serious headache here. Where the heck could it have gone?"

"There's no where for it to disappear to," whispered Hikari. "It needs victims." 

"It feeds off it," added Ken bitterly. Daisuke turned his gaze towards the horizon. His eye intently fixed from where the monster had escaped.

"There's something out there," he began slowly. "Or someone." He turned back towards the others, all registering his deep words. 

"Who would be out there?" asked Miyako. Her words quivered. "To be trapped in this - this nightmare . ." 

"Would be the perfect host for darkness . ." finished Ken. "Whoever is out there has been invaded by evil." 

****

*****

"Bleed Ishida!" A hard punch was swiftly avoided. Matt chuckled softly.

"You're a brute Kamiya - all force and no control." The limber blonde ducked again and took his chance to upper cut his oppressor. Tai growled and spat out some blood from his now cut lip. 

"You may be fast . ." Tai darted forcefully and punched directly into Matt's stomach. "But not fast enough!" The blonde managed to grin despite the lack of air. 

"Don't underestimate me." He fell to the ground before slide kicking into Tai, sending the later painfully into the ground. 

"Why shouldn't I?" Tai smirked. "You always need to prove yourself to me."

"I don't need to do anything!" raged Matt, loosing his once controlled voice. He grabbed Tai by the collar. "You always think you're better . ."

"I am!" Matt punched again sending Tai back down. Blood was now visibly trailing down from his lip. 

"Say I'm superior . ." Tai spat blood into his face. "You're going to regret that . ."

"I'd rather kill you first." Kamiya leapt up and tackled Ishida sending both rolling along the ground. Taking advantage of the situation, Tai forced himself to land on top pinning Matt into the ground. He then rammed his knee into the blonde's chest before instantly flipping him onto his stomach. Tai then pulled Matt's arm far back before it should ever go. He finally pulled back Matt's head and slammed it into the dirt. Matt growled in pain.

"I'm the strongest Chosen Matt," spoke Tai lowly. A grin of triumph plastered on his face. "You should have known that." 

"Jealous . ." hissed Matt despite his face pressed into the ground as well as beginning to swell. He also had many bleeding cuts. 

"What!"

"You heard me," he continued. "Arrogant and jealous as always . . "

"Why should I be?" demanded Tai, vibrating with rage. His grip tightened on Matt. 

"You can feel my power and it scares you."

"What power? You're a weakling!" Tai pushed Matt down into the dirt and brought his lips to his ear. Very slowly he whispered harshly the very words that caused the drive of ultimate darkness in the blonde . . .

"_You're beneath me_." 

Matt's eyes snapped open. He could feel the power trigger with in him. Instantly the blonde threw Tai several meters away with indescribable force. The brunette's body was catapulted before landing painfully on the rain soaked ground. Now Tai was officially covered in mud as well as patches of blood. He screamed in rage.

"You see!" roared Matt. A psychotic look upon his face. His eyes filled with darkness as he fixed them on Tai. "I'm the strongest Chosen!!" He chuckled lowly once again. "It seems I got my wish . ." 

"Go to . ." hoarsely spoke Tai, not finding enough energy to spit out the words. He gritted the pain he was feeling from the fall.

"What was that?" mocked Matt. "Couldn't hear you back there!" He walked threateningly towards Tai. Dark energy almost seemed to flow from his body. "I'm beneath _you_? You're WORTHLESS Tai!" 

"They both should die," cursed Sora. The others stood watching the pair fight. They appeared to not care who should fall. There was only dark thoughts among them. "I hate them . ."

"Whatever," scoffed Joe.

"You irresponsible jerk!" cried Gomamon. He couldn't bear to look at the Bearer of Reliability. His admiration for him was completely shattered. 

"Yamato! Please!" begged Gabumon. "Tai's your friend!" 

"STAY OUT OF THIS!" screamed Matt. Some force knocked Gabumon to the ground. Tears stung his eyes as he was now powerless. 

"I-I can't let him kill Taichi," stammered Agumon. He felt the urge to fire his attack, yet he couldn't. 

"Why won't you help?" begged Biyomon to Sora. 

"I hate them," repeated Sora. Her eyes were filled with disgust. It frightened the poor digimon they way it seemed all the love the girl had, had just vanished.

"Mimi!" pleaded Palmon. She tugged on the Bearer of Sincerity's skirt.

"Let go you filthy plant!" snapped Mimi. She gave a tug on her dress that sent Palmon flying down to the ground. The sensitive Palmon then broke down with sobs. 

"I need to find some batteries," spoke Izzy in a monotonous voice. His attention anywhere, but the fight. 

"How can you be so ignorant?" cried Tentomon. He fought the urge to shock his partner. "Your friends are about to kill each other and you're just worried about you computer?!" It seemed so as the Bearer of Knowledge remained completely oblivious to Tentomon.

No one cared. They all stood apart watching Tai and Matt. No one cared about the outcome. They just watched. Their digimon could do nothing.

"Darkness . ." whispered TK again shivering. "Evil . . "

A giant shadow descended upon the land. 

No one cared.

"It seems the darkness has claimed them," spoke the voice of the monster. He grinned evilly. "Good . ." He spread his wings prepared to suck the literal life out of the children he had found. Some odd delight sparked in him knowing that he was about to kill these children, he couldn't explain it - yet he knew he was going to enjoy this.

He flew closer in wanting to savor the look of horror upon their faces. They still hadn't notice him. "The blood of the innocent, the screams of fear . . _delicious_ . . ." 

****

"Nightmare - "

"NO!" cried several voices. They had the tone of heroism echoing in their call.

"Hey kids!" shouted Daisuke. "Hey! Get out of there!" 

"It's no use!" called out Miyako. "We're still too far away!" 

"Speed it up!" commanded Ken towards his partner.

"I'm on my way!" The giant figure of Paildramon flew at a hyper speed towards the monster.

****

"Cable Crusher!" 

Long fires shot out from the ultimate's claws wrapping around the demon. For a brief second it seemed as though the monster was restrained. 

"Foolish!" bellowed the creature breaking free. The snap sent Paildramon flying back. 

"Why won't they run?" questioned Iori. 

"It's the darkness," said Hikari. Her body began to shiver again. "It's stronger here. More than before. I-I don't know if they can handle it . . "

"Something's change," repeated Ken. His violet eyes narrowed in the direction of the darkness filled children. 

Daisuke stood watching the monster he wished to vanquish. He couldn't stand being in the same place with such an vile creature. There were elements to life where change could happen - people could be forgiven. Like Ken. But this guy, there was no reform for him. He had to be stopped. Or else everything would be lost. Everything and everyone he cared about would be lost to the darkness forever. That could never happen. It was taco night after all. 

"I wish I could stop him!" 

Then the miracle came. 

****

Veemon armor digivolve to Flamedramon!

Veemon digivolve to EX-Veemon!

Veemon armor digivolve to Raidramon!

"Huh?!" 

Three champions stood where one rookie once was. They were ready for battle and as one thought ran through their mind, they ran out towards the enemy.

"Tacos!" they cried. 

****

"Fire Rocket!"

"V-Laser!"

"Blue Thunder!"

The attacks hit directly on target distracting the monster from his prey. 

"How?" asked Miyako. She sighed. "On second thought I'll just accept it. There's been too much for me to comprehend right now. If I question it, it'll just confuse me." 

"This rocks!" cheered Daisuke. He watched with energy at his now three partners.

"You think you've got me," seethed the monster. "I'll show you. The darkness is mine, stronger than you'll ever know!" 

"Oh god," whimpered Hikari. Her eyes widened with fear. "Run - RUN!!" The girl screamed desperately to the children in the distance. Her voice begging them to flee. It seemed finally that these darkness filled children had taken notice to the grinning monster and ran had Hikari had wanted them to do. 

All seven but one. 

The blonde hair teen had watched the events with strong blue eyes. Something about this battle seemed to be so unreal. That he was watching it from two different perspectives. Then at Hikari's scream his eyes fell upon the one child left behind. The smallest one of the group they had found. He found himself running like had never had before. There was nothing to do, but to get to the child and save him.

At least, that was what he hoped to do.

Everyone took notice as the monster turned with death in his eyes towards the running blonde and the trapped child. He could get them both with ease. The attack was called and everyone screamed the same name. 

"TAKERU!!"

****

Patamon digivolve to Angemon!

Angemon digivolve to Magna Angemon! 

Patamon armor digivolve to Peagusmon!

Three holy warriors glowed and flew towards their enemy. The attack was stopped, but everyone was just trying to find hope. 

Takeru used his body to shield the small child from the attack. He held tightly onto the boy knowing deep with in himself he had to protect him. Suddenly it dawned on him that the monster's attack did not occur. They were ok. He looked down to check on the child.

"Hey squirt," said Takeru gently sitting up. He shook the little boy gently. The child actually seemed better, as if the darkness had been thrown out of him. "Hey kid are you - " His voice caught in his throat as he the child looked up with a pair of identical blue eyes and a way too familiar outfit.

"Hi," spoke the little boy smiling a bit. "I'm TK, thanks for saving me." 

*********

Author's Note: Ah a cliff hanger. Don't worry, I know I've been evil in the past, but this is my final project. I'm going to get this done. I have it outline I swear! I was going to continue this chapter further, but it would have been way over forty pages. Besides, now this will make sure that I have to get off my butt and type. 

MY AP TESTS ARE DONE! YAHOO!

Sorry about that. Couldn't help myself. cough Well by now you picked up on the couples so I'll get to the point. This is going to have Taiora (Tai x Sora), Mimoe (Mimi x Joe), and Takari (Takeru x Hikari), but the youngsters only get romance for 02. When lil' Hikari joins up (oh yes, she will - remember they haven't found the 8th child yet) they'll be friends, come on they're like 8! Izzy will also get some romance, he's always left out, but that won't happen until after the Myotismon arc. The Dark Ocean will play a big role as you can tell with Dagomon and Daemon - who will both be seen frequently, but I won't say how/why. 

Chapter 2 finishes off Malo Myotismon battle and now the 02 gang has to deal with 01 and more importantly why. The now older 01 gang is not going to believe in their own existence, which will cause some difficulties. There will also be comedy as there will be jabs made at the older group - hey, you would too if you saw your future self. 

Why the change in Japanese names? (I.e. Daisuke - Davis, Taichi - Tai) So there would be a more distinct change between groups. 

Finally, if anyone knows of a good digimon encyclopedia - please tell me! Megchan's is hard to work with these days. 

Thanks and please review! 


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